Basic Grammar 2

4.Basic verb forms - ～dictionary、～ます 

Dictionary Form	-Masu Form	Meaning
たべる tabe ru	たべます tabe masu	Both mean "to eat"
のむ nomu	のみます nomimasu	to drink
はしる ru	はしります hashirimasu	to run
する su ru	します shi masu	to do (this is one of the 2 irregular verbs)

5. Making Questions - か   

アメリカ人　です。 amerikajin desu. I am an American.

Now add a か

アメリカ人　です　か。  amerikajin desu ka. Are you an American?

Main points

• ka is added to the end of statements
• Word order is not changed as in English.
• In Japanese (see the example on the right side) the ? (question mark) is not required (optional).
• Just like in English, the last syllable goes up in intonation.
• In spoken Japanese sometimes the ka can be dropped if you raise your voice at the end as we do with "You want to eat?". But for now, let's stick to using the ka.